The need for action and tangible progress on racial equity and inclusion has never been greater. While as a community Tulane University has made significant, tangible progress over the past few years, what matters now is not what we have achieved but what we are going to do next.
To that end, I’m relaunching and reinvigorating the President’s Commission on Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. I’ve asked the new leadership team — one that is broadly representative of our constituency — to develop what I am calling “A Plan for Now.” This plan will provide structure and direction for initiatives already underway as well as identify actions we can undertake in the coming weeks and months that will have an immediate and positive impact toward becoming a more diverse, equitable and inclusive Tulane.
Their approach will focus on three key areas:
- Creating a culture that embraces diversity and fosters a sense of belonging for all
- Recognizing diversity as fundamental to advancing intellectual rigor, learning and scholarship
- Engaging with intentionality and purpose, and through partnership, to build and support a fairer and more equitable New Orleans and Gulf Coast region
While the commission’s leadership ensures forward momentum, I’ve asked one member, Anneliese Singh, Tulane’s first Chief Diversity Officer, to also focus her attention on a longer range “Strategy for Tomorrow.” This strategy will set us on a new course, one that engages our full community in a vision for Tulane related to diversity, equity and inclusion that will carry us forward for the next decade.
We are in a unique place. And we are at a unique moment in time. Let’s do this together.
President Michael A. Fitts